Thursday, July 24, 2008

Many people are cautious about believing the National Enquirer’s July 21 story reporting former Senator and self-described “poverty fighter” John Edwards' tryst at LA’s Beverly Hilton Hotel with his former filmmaker Rielle Hunter.

According to the NE, Edwards and Hunter met in one hotel room while a friend of Hunter’s looked after what the NE says is their “love child.”

I can understand readers’ caution. I’m often cautious about stories I read in publications like the NE, the NY Times and the Raleigh N&O.

However, with this story there are many witnesses to the events reported who can be interviewed. There are many critical details mentioned which can easily be fact-checked. And while the NE doesn’t mention them, I feel certain there are photos and videos of some very significant parts of the events the NE reports, including ones which prominently feature Edwards.

I’m convinced the story has substance.

As far as witnesses go, there’s Edwards himself who so far has dismissed the story as “tabloid,” but hasn’t denied any of its specifics. We’ve had no “I wasn’t even at the Beverly Hilton that night;” or “I just ducked in to use the Men’s Room.”

The NE names two of its reporters and provides details of what they witnessed, including descriptions of the car Edwards was driven to the hotel in (a BMW ) and the shirt he was wearing (“a blue dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up.”).

The NE mentions but doesn't name a photographer Edwards fled from and hotel security staffers who helped escort Edwards out of the Beverly Hilton in the wee morning hours after NE reporters caught him trying to sneak out of the hotel.

This from one of the NE reporters: "Some guests up at this late hour watched the spectacle in amusement from a staircase nearby."

The NE’s story includes this:

Meanwhile, Rielle had reserved rooms 246 and 252 under the name of the friend who had accompanied her from Santa Barbara, Bob McGovern. Rielle was in one room and McGovern was in another with her baby. This allowed her and Edwards to spend time alone, a source revealed.

Edwards went out of the hotel briefly with Rielle, they were observed by the NATIONAL ENQUIRER and then went back to her room, where he stayed until attempting to sneak out of the hotel unseen at 2:40 a.m. (PST). But when he emerged alone from an elevator into the hotel basement he was greeted by several reporters from the NATIONAL ENQUIRER.

Senior NATIONAL ENQUIRER Reporter Alexander Hitchen asked Edwards why he was visiting Rielle and whether he was ready to confirm that he was the father of her baby.

Shocked to see a reporter, and without saying anything, Edwards ran up the stairs leading from the hotel basement to the lobby. But, spotting a photographer, he doubled back into the basement. As he emerged from the stairwell, reporter Butterfield questioned him about his hookup with Rielle.

Edwards did not answer and then ran into a nearby restroom. He stayed inside for about 15 minutes, refusing to answer questions from the NATIONAL ENQUIRER about what he was doing in the hotel.

A group of hotel security men eventually escorted him from the men's room, while preventing the NATIONAL ENQUIRER reporters from following him out of the hotel.

Who reserved rooms 246 and 252 can be checked. The hotel security on duty can be interviewed. At least some parts of Edwards running up and down the stairwell and into the Men’s Room were very, very likely caught on security videos. The 2:40 AM timing report tells anyone seeking to verify NE’s story where to look on the videos.

There’s a great deal more in the story that’s easily verified, including the child’s paternity which Edwards denies. DNA testing could quickly and reliably do that, couldn’t it?

All JE has to do is give one cheek swab for DNA and he can disprove the allegation. This being North Carolina it's just that it will take about a year too long for a non-match to get him off the hook. Even then, certain people will be convinced "something happened".

If she files a paternity lawsuit it will be interesting to see if JE will resist the inevitable order to obtain a sample of his DNA.

I think the NE is more credible than either the NYT or the N&O. But don't expect this to be in either of those "newspapers" anytime soon. Ah, but let a Republican misspell potato, and they would be all over him.

Wow...the NE lives and dies by it's PHOTOS. If there were at least TWO NE reporters in the basement, why didn't they snap one?? Everyone carries a cell phone these days...with photo capabilities. (At leasr every reporter I KNOW, does.)

If the NE can't get a pic out of such an easy gig...they need to recruits some Houston reporters.

If NE doesn't have a pic...I wudn't believe a wordof any story they print.